Ball



May 31, 11932 J. H.GRADY y 1,861,157

BALL

Filed March '1. 1930 Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN H. GRADY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, .ASSIGNOR TO J. H. GRADY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF INUSSOURI BALL' Application led March 1,

This invention relates to balls, and more particularly to balls having hide covers on an inner core. In some of its aspects, the invention is an improvement on the form of l ball disclosed in the United States applica- Y, derfolded hem, however, produces a ridge or prominence on the surface of the finished all, and the rawhide material of the cover has a tendency to stretch unduly and, also, unevenly. Moreover, some grades of hide stretch more than others. Considerable skill is, therefore, required in the operation of covering a. ball in order that there may be no distortion due to uneven stretching of the hide. Furthermore, the hide cover has a tendency to stretch and eventually become loose on the core in the course of playing with the ball.

According, one purpose of the present invention is to provide means for compensating for the depression of the cover intermediate the ridges of the hem, so that the finished ball will present a smooth surface substantially free of such rid es or unevennesses.

A further ob3ect of the invention lis the provision of means for limiting undue stretching of the cover.

A further object of the invention is the prevision of means for limiting uneven stretching of the cover.

Other and further objects, advantages and desirable features of the invention'will appear in the course of the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the spirit thereof.

In the accompanying drawings forming art of this specification, in which like num- Eers of reference denote like parts wherever the occur, y

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ball made in accordance with the present invenrtion;

1930. Serial No. 432,308.

Figure 2 is a plan-view of a cover blank of hide as it appears iat or extended prior to hemming its edges;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a blank or lining of less stretchable material than that of the hide blank;

Figure 4 is an end view of the same;

Figure 5 is a transverse central sectional View of the cover blank o f Figure 1, but showing the edges hemmed over Figure 6 is a view of the rear or underside of the blank of Figure 5, showing the blank or lining of Figure 3 attached thereto;

Figure 7 is a sectional View of the prepared blank of Figurel 6, taken on the line 7-7 in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a section of the completed ball,

taken on the line 8-8 in Figure 1.-

The covering of the ball is preferably, although not necessarily, formed 'by the union of two like blanks of the usual shape that complement each other to make up the whole. The blanks may be formed of any suitable material, although horsehide or other suitable durable hide is ordinarily employed;

and, in the present embodiment, horsehide blanks of the type disclosed in the aforesaid Clarke application for patent are employed. The margin 1 of the said Clarke blanks 2 is provided with a series of nicks 3, and a closed series of perforations 4 that follows the outline of the blank 2. The entire blank with its nicks 3 andvperforations 4 is preferably cut out of the stock of material in one operation by means of a suitable die. The portion 5 of the blank that intermediates the row of perforations 4 and the outline 1 is folded back on the line of perforations against the rear side of the blank, or the side that is to form the inner side of the completed cover, so as to form a hem, which is secured against .the body of the blank by stitching 6, as best shown in Figures 5 and 6. The purpose of the nicks 3 is to allow the arcuate portions of the hem to be formed without buckling, so that they will lie flat against the body of the blank when folded thereover. The size and spacing of the perforations 4 is such that they will accommodate the lobes 7 of connective material between the perforations 4 of a like companion blank when these blanks are fitted together to complement each other in covering the ball. Those lobes 7 that are located at the extreme ends, respectively, of the blank 2, are intended to fit into the particular perforations 4 of a like complementing blank that are positioned midway between the extreme lobes 7 of the complementing blank. Otherwise stated, in order to unite two blanks 2 so that they will correctly complement each other, the lobes 7 that lie on the medial longitudinal axis 8 of one blank 2 should meet the perforations 4 that lie on the transverse medial axis 9 of its companion blank 2. To facilitate the proper assembling of the component blanks 2 of the cover, nicks 3 are preferably located on the longitudinal axis 8 to identify the extreme lobes 7 of the blank; and nicks 3 are, also, preferably located at each side of the transverse medial axis 9 of the blank to identify those perforations 4 that are exactly midway between the extreme lobes 7. The said four nicks 3, therefore, function as indicia in addition to preventingl buckling of the hem 5. The folded-back marinal edge portion 5, in the present invention,

owever, need not be skived as preferred in the Clarke application, but is preferably of uniform thickness throughout to the edge 1, for reasons which will presently appear.

A blank 10 of soft sheet material, preferably felt, that is less stretchable than the horSe hide blank, and that stretches more uniformly in different directions and throughout its area than the hide blank, is cut out of a sheet of stock having substantially the thickness of the folded-back marginal strip 5. The size and shape of the bla-nk 10 is preferably such that the edge 11 of the blank will abut against the edge 1 of the folded-back hem 5 of the blank 2, as best shown in Figures 6 and 7, which abutting relation assists in reventing dislocation of the blank 10 on the lank 2, and, also, assists in transmitting strain on the blank 2 to the reinforcing blank 10. However, the blank 10 is preferably permanently secured to the blank 2 in any suitable or conventional manner, preferably by cementing or glueing the same thereto, the cementing usually being sufficient if confined to the marginal regions of the blank 10. A complete prepared blank is, therefore, formed by theunion of the blanks 2 and 10, avoiding separate handling of the blanks 2 and 10 in sewing the cover on the ball. Moreover, the intimate union of the blanks 2 and 10 renders the blank 10 more effective in preventing undue and ununiform stretching of the blank 2.

The prepared cover blanks 12 so formed by the union of the blanks 2 and 10 are attached to the cover and secured to each other by a thread or lace 13, one end of which is passed several times through the core 14 of the ball to securely anchor it therein, and the other end of which, after the blanks 12 are properly coordinated or located with reference to each other by the aid of the aforesaid indicia, is laced throu h the perforations 4 and through the hem of the opposing edges of the blanks 2 in alternation and progressively along the same, the thread 13 being pulled taut at intervals to bring the opposingedges tightly together, so that the completely joined edges of the finished ball will present a scalloped appearance that enables them closely and smoothly to interfit each other, as shown in Fi ure 1. When the lacing has been complete the loose end of the thread 13 is secured in any suitable manner to keep the seam tight, a conventional expedient being to sew the free end of the thread back and forth several times through the core of the ball.

It will be observed that the blank 10 functions as a filler that fills the depression of the cover intermediate the ridge of the hem, so that the finished ball will present an even smooth outer surface. It, furthermore, for this reason, makes it unnecessary to skive the edges of the blank 2 to ameliorate the prominence of the ridges formed on the surface of the Acovered ball by the underfolded hem 5. It will, also, be appreciated that, even if the bla-nk 10 were formed of material as stretchable as the hide blank 2, it Would still be effective, although to a lesser degree than if it were less stretchable, in preventing undue stretching of the blank 2, since a double thickness of material would need to be stretched. However, when the blank 10 is less stretchable than the blank 2, as it is when formed of felt or other suitable fabric, its effectiveness in preventing undue stretching or distortion of the cover is materially augmented. The abutting relationship of the edges of the blanks 2 and 10, and the intimate union of these blanks are conditions that supplement or assist each other in contributin to the effectiveness of function of the blan 10.

Having thus fully described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is evident that many minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A prepared cover blank for a ball comprising a hide blank having its marginal edge folded back upon itself and hemmed to the inner side of the blank and a filler secured to the inner side of said blank, the edge of said filler abutting against the free edge of the folded-back marginal portion of said blank and said filler having a thickness equal to that of the folded-back marginal portion.

2. A prepared cover blank for a ball, comprising a hide blank, a strip of the cover material secured marginally to the inner side of said blank and forming a depression within its connes, and a ller f sheet material cut to the shape of the said depression and secured in seated position therein with its edge closely abutting the opposed edge of said strlp.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

v JOHN H. GRADY. 

